Only Life
by Topher3.0
Summary: A One-Shot, that revolves around Spike and Illyria. They fight, argue, and even go to some bars. Hints of Spike/Illyria, and Spike/Fred .


**_This was my first fanfic. I love Illyria and Spike, and at the time I was on a Spike/Illyria kick. xD Love this story so much; It's very special to me. Please, enjoy._**

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One figure stood in the training room of Wolfram & Hart, the evil law firm, located in Los Angeles, California. This figure, with his slicked back, bleach blonde hair, was impatient. At first glance, he may look as calm as calm can be, but look again.

His right hand's fingers dug into the clip board he was holding. He didn't realize it, but slowly his grip had become so tight, that the thin piece of wood was about to snap in two. Not more than five seconds later, the clip board met its fate.

"Bloody hell! 'Blue Bitch' made me ruin my clip board!" He said loudly to himself, with his English accent very noticeable.

The object fell from his grasp, and hit the floor. A few papers loosened, and drifted away from their host. His eyes glanced down, landing an one of the papers. He took his time to bend down, and pick them up. Once all of the pieces of parchment had been collected into his hands again, the man lifted his head up; Broken clip board untouched.

He gasped when he saw who was in front of him... Or what. Illyria stood directly across from the blonde, English man. Her brown hair smooth today, with blue streaks shielding parts of her colorless skin.

"I have frightened you..." Illyria's words seemed like they took forever to form. Her voice lacked emotion, even though so much had once been there.

"Damn right you did! You can't just sneak up on people like that!"

Illyria's face was still, but suddenly had grown a devilish grin. Her pale, icy, blue eyes mocked him.

"I would pay my apologies, but I have none to give."

Spike's bottom lip curved in.

"You could have at least time teleported, or whatever the hell you do, back to the exact moment you were supposed to meet me here!"

Illyria tightened her jaw, and tilted her head side ways. She had a some what angry look to her.

"Oh," Spike said," That's right! You lost all of your little super powers, didn't you?" He slyly gave her a half smile, knowing he had hit her just as hard.

"You use sarcasm to attempt at hurting me mentally. Yet you do not realize that words can not harm the Great Illyria, even after she has been stripped of her mighty gifts!"

"I know a witch, she might be able to help with that word--"

"We will begin now," Illyria quickly cut Spike off, and following her words was the bottom of her foot to his face.

Spike struggled to keep his balance, as he tumbled a few steps back. The papers he had collected fell out of his hand once more.

Illyria's fist slammed into his nose, making sure he would fall. Spike landed with a thump.

"That was uncalled for! Restart! I'm the one who says when you can kick me in the face!"

Illyria was completely silent as she walked across the training room. Her head was sideways, looking down at Spike.

"I also punched you in your face," She added.

Spike sighed from his spot on the tile floor.

"I remember," He jumped to his feet, "Watch the cheek bones!"

"Now we shall start our duel?"

"It's not a duel. The broody, boss man needs me to test how powerful you, are as of now."

"Because you stole my gifts?"

"Exactly. You're a smart one, aren't you?"

Spike had been slowly moving his way towards Illyria, and threw one of his own fists at her. Her head was sent to the side; Her hair swung only once from the blow, but it still remained perfect.

"By the way, Love, the 'duel' started when I said 'Broody'."

Illyria snapped her head forward; At the same time, her arm impaled Spike's left rip cage. He was sent into the air, and hit into one of the four walls.

The Old One turned, as her foe recovered. She stomped herself over to the wall besides her. The blood red armor she wore reflected on the tile as she reached for a small battle axe.

"Who said we could use weapons?!" Spike asked angrily.

He managed to get on both feet. Even though Illyria's powers had been cut in half, she still had a good amount of strength.

Spike brushed off his right shoulder, trying to keep his leather coat smooth, and good looking. But he hastily had to dodge to the side, as Illyria threw the battle axe she had taken.

Spike slid across the Training Room. The axe hit just a second after he reached the exiting door. He turned his head to look at Illyria.

"Good aim," He taunted her.

The next thing he knew, Illyria was charging at him. No weapons, just full force. Force was bad enough. Spike got to his knees, and waited for her to get close. He jumped out of the way just in time.

Illyria came to a halt. She spun around, but Spike was ahead of her. He slammed into her; Pinning Illyria to the wall. His hands pushing on her shoulders. Oddly, she did nothing.

Spike continued to look at her, waiting for her to kick him off of her. She didn't.

"Well?" Spike asked.

He blinked. And that was all the time Illyria needed, maybe more. In front of him was no longer Illyria... It was the dead, perky, scientist, Wini 'Fred' Burkle.

Fred whimpered. Her eyes slid down. She was wearing the same clothes that she had died in; The same Illyria had been born in.

"S-Spike..." Her gentle, fragile voice pleaded, "Y-ou're hurting me..." She made her eyes meet his.

Spike was speechless. It looked like Fred. It talked like Fred. But it wasn't Fred. She was gone. Forever. The poor girl had been taken the worst way imaginable. And then, after all of her suffering, she wouldn't get any peace. None at all; Not even a moment of it.

His grip on her weakened. Fred pulled one of her arms free, and pulled some of her hair behind her right ear. All of the blue streaks were gone.

"Look at you!" Fred said with a smile so big, Spike didn't know a human could stretch their mouth that far. "I was shocked there for a millisecond; It's still weird seeing you fully corporeal, I was so used to seeing 'Ghost Spike'."

Spike lowered the arm that still held Fred. He looked her up and down.

"Spike, stop it!" She snorted very little,"You're making me blush! I'm not even wearing any make up or anything! If my mom was here, I'd be afraid to hear all of the things she'd say I'd look like!"

He took one step back. Spike knew it wasn't Fred. There was no possible way.

Fred arched her head just a little. She still had that wonderful smile on her face.

"Oh, boy! There was one time,I remember, when--"

"And that's all it is, Love," Spike spit out quickly. "Just memories."

"Of course it is a memory, Silly. How else would I remember it? The brain--"

"You're not her..." Spike interrupted again.

"You know I'm not," She agreed with him.

"Than why pretend to be?"

Fred suddenly got a vile expression on her face.

"I use Fred's memories to become her. I use her to confuse those who were close to her," said 'Fred' with Illyria's tone.

"Yes, I got that, but why do you act like her. You could have very well forced me off of you back there, but you decided to turn into Fred instead. Why?"

The Fred figure looked down.

"It reminds me that I will never be what she was. Her memories are strong. They are always here. Your reactions let me know that I am myself, and not a worthless human being. It is complicated."

"So you take on Fred's personality, just to remember yourself that you're Illyria?"

"In a way, yes."

"Huh. That's going on the clip board," Spike muttered quietly. "Now that we're done playing Dr. Phil, lets get back to the fight, shall we?"

The Fred image instantly morphed into the paler, more violent looking being.

"I am postponing our duel," Illyria announced as she walked out through the exit doors.

Spike watched her leave, and couldn't help it but feel that maybe some part of Fred was really still inside of her.

"Or maybe she's just a fantastic actress," Spike said to himself.

*****

His foot steps echoed as Spike walked through Wolfram & Hart's garage. He had his hands in his coat pockets; One hand held the keys to a red mustang.

Spike passed rows of beautiful cars. His favorite had been the navy ferrari; But he had crashed it a few weeks back. Angel threw a fit, even though Spike knew he didn't really care.

He approached the car he had chosen, and made his way to the side. Spike opened the door, and jumped in. The keys were pushed into place, and he was ready to go.

"Bloody hell!" Spike yelled, as he fixed the rear view mirror, and saw Illyria standing behind the car.

"I wish to travel to your destination along side of you," She told him.

"Why? Getting tired of roaming the halls of this place?"

"Illyria does not tire easily. I have been crammed into the Wolf Ram and Hart for--"

"Yeah, whatever, get in." He said, tired of hearing Illyria carry on.

She squinted one eye at him, but did as he said. After thirty seconds, Illyria had still not entered the car.

"Are you going to stand there all night, or get in, Blue?" Spike asked her. She tilted her head, and moved her eyes to look at him.

"I can not open the door. It... It must be some kind of magic."

"Or you pull the handle," He said holding back a smirk. Illyria continued to try and find the switch to open the car door. Spike sighed, and reached over, opening it for her.

"Get in."

*****

Spike entered through the entrance to one of the many demon bars around L.A. He had been coming to this one the last few nights.

"Ahhh, Spike, buddy! Hey!" A big green demon greeted him from the tool he sat on. A bottle sat in front of him. He had black spikes coming out of his skin, and long finger nails.

Spike walked right passed him, and took a seat on another stool, and few down from the demon.

Illyria looked around the bar. She took in the shadowed place, which did not take all the long to do. Her armored feet made a loud noise every time she took a step. She sat down on her own stool, next to Spike.

"Give me the strongest thing you got in the place," Spike told the bar tender.

"I--" Illyria started to say, but Spike jumped ahead of her.

"And, no, Illyria. I did not mean you!"

Illyria starred at him. Her eyes were wide, and still very blue.

"Vampires are telepathic?" She asked him confused.

"Only in pathetic novels..." He muttered back.

"Here ya' go!" The bar tender said, handing Spike a glass cup with a clear liquid in it. Illyria looked at it.

"And get the blue friend a glass of it, as well," Spike added.

"Sure thing," the tender replied.

Illyria remained still until her drink was sat in front of her. She took a moment to pick it up. Slowly, she raised it to her nose, smelt it, and then licked it once with her tongue.

Her hand slammed the cup down, and created a sour look to her face. This was a new one of her expressions, Spike had never seen it. He laughed.

"I said it was strong," Spike warned her a bit late, "You almost broke the glass, and I wouldn't be paying for a new one!"

"That thing makes my taste buds quiver... And yet I crave another lick..."

"That's also another issue, Love. You don't lick that, or any drink. You sip it, like this," Spike raised his cup to his lips, and swallowed the whole thing in one gulp. "Or take it like a man... Ex-God King, I mean."

"I am still worthy of the title, 'God Kind'. I shall find a way to restore my gifts..." She explained.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. It is so." Illyria picked up her drink, and tried to minic what Spike had done to his own. Once she tilted the cup back, the alcohhol ran down her chin, missing her mouth.

Spike laughed at her, putting two of his fingers over his mouth. Illyria stuck her bottom lip out, showing her teeth, and looked him down. But she didn't frighten him at all.

"I do not find this situation humorous!" She barked at Spike.

"Right, right, I'm sorry!" Spike let out one more laugh before he was finally finished. Illyria put her cup down again, and brushed her chin off.

"Servant, I require another portion of this execrable beverage!"

The green demon looked over at Illyria, the same one who had welcomed Spike.

"Hey, lady, that's no way to treat the bar tender! Earl is a great guy!" The demon fussed at Illyria.

Illyria swung her head at the demon next her. A few other weird looking customers also turned to watch what was going to happen next.

"You dare to correct me, Illyria, ruler of what once was, and shaper of all things?!" She hissed to her new enemy.

"Yes, I do! Like you said, you may have ruled what 'Once was', but now you're in what

'is'! You rule nothing!"

"He's got a point there, Love," Spike added.

Illyria flipped her head back around to face Spike.

"You agree with this mongrel?!" Illyria questioned Spike.

"Not if you're going to beat me to a bloody pulp; This is my time to relax," Spike answered, and got in a more comfortable position.

"Fine. You are excused from this beating, I believe I kicked you enough for this day," Illyria turned back to the green demon, "But this thing will not get any kind of mercy!"

Spike raised an eye brow.

"Hey, I'm not saying I couldn't take 'ya, I just don't wanna get kicked outta this bar too," Spike said, defending himself.

"We're done, Vampire, it is his turn to be conquered; To see the greatness of Illyria!"

"Illyria... Illyria...," The demon said to himself, trying to remember something, "Isn't Illyria the name of that new flu going around? I'm pretty sure it is, because me buddy, Joey, got it, and he isn't looking to good--"

The green, monster looking thing jolted to a stop when Illyria jumped off of her bar stool, her feet landed not a second later.

"Woh, girly! We can talk about this!"

Illyria raised her right hand, and lifted the demon off of his own stool by the ragged clothing he wore. She took a moment to look him in the, feeding him more fear. Suddenly, she turned violently, and flung him across the room.

He flew over the heads of the other customers, missing them by inches; His trip ended

when he collided into the wall he was thrown at.

The other demons stood from their chairs, mostly the ones that had almost been hit. These were also the most muscular.

Illyria tilted her head at the three others headed her way. They had been waiting for a bar fight.

"You seek a challenge; And you've come across one. We start with out warning," Illyria explained.

Spike looked to the bar tender, who was not looking rather happy.

"Get the lady out of here," The tender demanded.

"Or you'll do what? Take a swing at her too?" Spike questioned, with a evil grin on his face.

"Spke," The tender continued, "You've been kicked outta every bar in L.A., and almost all of the demon bars. You wanna add mine to that list?!"

Spike sighed, rolled his eyes, and turned his attention back to Illyria. She had already taken out two of the demons, no including the first, green one.

"Blue! Ya' know I love a good bar fight, but I don't wanna get kicked out of this place too.

Oddly, I love whatever he serves..." Spike told her.

Illyria paused, she held one of the demons by their throat.

"The bar tender is a demon; The liquid he serves to his buyers is--"

"Don't you say it, Missy!" The tender yelled at her.

Spike looked at him, raising an eye brow.

"I'm a bit frightened to hear the answer, actually," Spike said. He stood by slowly from his stool. "Let's go, Love."

"I have not finished my buisness with these pitty excuses of life," Illyria fought back.

"Yeah, well put the pitty excuse down, and let's go. I know another bar around here..." Spike ordered.

Illyria dropped the demon from her grasp. She looked down at him.

"I will finish you off, have no doubt." Illyria spun herself around, and walked out of the demon bar with Spike.

*****

"I know this place..." Illyria stated, as she and Spike entered another demon bar.

"You've been to a bar? Besides the last one? I bet you and your old pals used to get all of the good stuff. I wish I could have spent a night partying with the Old Ones..."

"A party in my day was to laugh at the half breeds, while we slaughtered them..."

Spike gave Illyria a glance. "... So you have been to a bar?"

"No, Vampire. I have not."

"... But you said--"

"But Fred has..."

Illyria made her way over a table. It was the largest one in the bar, for larger parties. She placed her palm on the top on one, rubbing her hand along it.

"Oh... That's right..." Spike said thoughtfully.

Illyria turned to face Spike, as she did so, her form shifted. She instantly looked like Winifred Burkle, once more.

"The clown sat here..." She said with her own, frightening voice.

"Clown?" Spike asked.

"One you call 'Lorne"... The green--"

"Yeah, yeah, we could call him names all day; Continue..."

"Next to the clown was the human, he stands out by his odd skin color, just as the demon..."

"Oh, now you're racist too?!"

"I am a superior being, I shall be what I wish..."

Illyria continued to walk around the table, looking at different chairs as she went through Fred's memories.

"Across from the two were the vampires..."

"Me, and Harm, right?" Spike asked, wanting to get her tale over with.

"Yes. The two blondes..."

Illyria snapped her head around to look at Spike.

"She hung on you.. Her arms around your neck. You wish to have nothing to do with her."

"Got that right! Crazy bitch needs to find herself a new play toy!"

"Bitch..." Illyria repeated, "We are discussing vampires, not dogs."

Spike looked at her like she was stupid. "Oh, excuse me. I was confused..." He said.

"And on the ends of the table were Fred, and the one who has changed over the years... Wesley. He and Fred made eye contact every few minutes. They could feel something. For each other..."

"Yeah, they were a cute little couple... While it lasted, I mean."

Illyria drew closer to Spike.

"And yet... Fred felt something else. It was overshadowed by her feeling for Wesley. A feeling for... you. Spike."

Spike's eyes widened a bit. He looked at the face of Fred. His dead friend, that just maybe could have been more than that.

"Feelings?" He asked, still looking at her.

"Yes. Feelings. The emotional type."

Illyria, in the image of Fred, moved closer to Spike. Her face got closer to his. And for a moment, he almost backed away. Their lips touched, just a little.

Spike pulled away quickly. No, quicker than quick. He had remembered the past, and realized what he had done.

"W-was... All of that true?" Spike asked Illyria, a bit shaken.

Illyria looked him right in the eye. She would not lie to him.

"No," She said, taking a second, "It was a lie. But you now know that you had a feeling for Fred, even if she had none for you. You kissed the thing that destroyed her, Winifred Burkle. You kissed her corpse."

She pulled one of the chairs out, and sat on it. Her face was in her hands. Spike did the same thing.

Spike heard a whimper come from the girl next to him. She looked up at him.

"What that monster did to me was wrong!" Illyria said in Fred's voice, "She hollowed me out, and made her way inside of me. She killed me. It murdered me!"

Spike wasn't sure what to do. Was this Illyria trying to mess with his head, and was she really showing guilt? He finally put his hand on her shoulder.

"There's no wrong or right, Love," Spike told her, "There's only life."

Illyria switched to her own form as she let out a cry. Her face still burried in her hands.

*****

A green demon entered his home. He was renting from his friend, Joey. His friend had no idea he was a demon, so he had to turn into a human image to look normal. It was a pain, to switch into a human, just to pay rent.

The monster sat his keys down on the kitchen table, and was about to head into the bed room. But something caught his eye. He turned around, his eyes looked out the window. He didn't have time to react.

A pipe that had been ripped off of the side of his apartment came crashing through the window. It plunged right into the demon's stomach, and out the other end.

He fell to the flood. Blood, also the color green, leaked from his body, and was absorbed by the carpet. As the light left his eyes, he saw a figure moving closer to his broken window.

It was a slender figure. The form of a woman. She had the most beautiful smile on her face. Her chocalate brown hair came off of her head like a flowing river. She poked her head into the window, giving the demon a good bye wave.

"I said I'd get 'ya!" The girl said in a the sweetest tone. She had the voice of an angel.

-END-

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**_Hope you liked it! :) I was really pleased with Illyria's dialog, and the humor throughout the story. Please, review, and let me know your thoughts!_**


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